New Chandigarh, Sep 17 (IANS) In a huge blow to the Indian team, Jemimah Rodrigues has been ruled out of the remainder of the ongoing women’s ODI series against Australia due to viral fever, the BCCI said on Wednesday.

“The BCCI Medical team is monitoring her progress,” further said the board in its statement. In her absence, Tejal Hasabnis has been named as Jemimah’s replacement for the ongoing series.

India trail 1-0 in the three-match ODI series against Australia after suffering an eight-wicket defeat in the opening game at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur. The second match is scheduled to be played at the same venue on Wednesday.

Following the second ODI, India and Australia will play the third and final game of the series at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on Saturday. Jemimah had scored 18 off 26 balls in the ODI series opener before top-edging a delivery from fast-bowling all-rounder Tahlia McGrath to short fine leg, as India posted 281/8 in their allotted 50 overs.

Jemimah had also dropped a crucial catch of Australian opener Phoebe Litchfield off Sneh Rana, a moment that proved costly as she went on to score a match-winning 88 off 80 balls.

Despite being ruled out of the series, Jemimah is expected to recover in time for the Women’s ODI World Cup, which begins on September 30 with India facing Sri Lanka in Guwahati.

India’s updated ODI squad against Australia: Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Deepti Sharma, Renuka Singh Thakur, Arundhati Reddy, Richa Ghosh (WK), Kranti Gaud, Sayali Satghare, Radha Yadav, Sree Charani, Sneh Rana, Uma Chetry (WK), and Tejal Hasabnis

Standby players for ODI series against Australia: Prema Rawat, Priya Mishra

–IANS

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